Crown Princess
by serendipitymadness
Summary: Trust is for fools, fear is the only reliable way. / My entries for Azula week 2018. Feel free to favourite, follow and of course, review.
1. Childhood

**So, these will be my relatively short, unrelated submissions for Azula Week 2018. Sorry for being late to get on the train, I've had other stuff to do and little time to get this together. Hope you guys enjoy it :).**

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 **Childhood**

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Contrary to popular belief, Azula's childhood wasn't as messed up as most people would assume it was. Some of her best moments actually came from her childhood, before everything in her family became so complicated and messed up. There was a time when she didn't hate Ursa, when she wasn't wrapped around Ozai's finger like she grew up to be and there was a time when she and Zuko actually got along, like normal siblings should.

Before Azula found out that she was a firebender, she spent most of her time with Zuko running around the palace while causing as much mischief as they could together. The pair were actually quite inseparable in their early years and Azula even looked up to her older brother to some degree. Of course, that was something Ozai didn't approve of but at that point in her life Azula didn't care what her father thought.

At the age o four and six respectively, Azula and Zuko were as close as you could be as siblings. Sure, they argued a lot and blamed each other for petty things but that was just what brothers and sisters did. On one day in particular, the pair of siblings were running around the palace gardens as they chased each other around, laughing as they did so.

"Gotcha!" Zuko yelled as he picked Azula up, with her laughing at the top of her lungs.

"Down, Zuzu, down!" she screamed, not liking being picked up by her older brother as she used the nickname she had always used on him, since she never really could pronounce his name properly.

"Alright," Zuko conceded as he lowered his sister to the ground, although she was still laughing as she did so. "What do you want to do now, Az?"

"Show me the trick again!" Azula excitedly exclaimed.

Having only recently discovered his firebending a few months ago, Zuko had been the star focus around the palace. Although it had taken him somewhat longer to discover his firebending, it was still a remarkable achievement. Since his discovery, Zuko had been training to improve his bending which was something that Azula had become fascinated with.

"Alright, just step back a bit. I don't want to hurt you," Zuko said.

Doing just that, Azula eagerly stepped back as Zuko nervously took his position and readied his movements. Even though he was just performing in front of his sister, Zuko still didn't want to mess up. Once he was ready, Zuko punched his fist out forward, eliciting a small blast of firebending while Azula clapped happily as she watched on.

"Yay! I loved it!" Azula cheered.

Zuko smiled, "Thanks, Az."

"That's so cool, Zuzu. I want to be just like you," Azula proclaimed.

"Really?" Zuko asked, shocked.

Azula nodded, "Yes! You're cool, Zuzu! I want to be cool too."

"Well, you're cool too, Az," Zuko replied.

While Zuko knew his sister looked up to him, it was still surprising for him to hear that she wanted to be just like him. If his father heard her say that, he would probably consider her to reach for higher ambitions. Despite Zuko being only six-years-old, he knew that his father didn't think highly of him, which hurt him on the inside. So it was good to see that his sister admired him to some degree. At least his mother and sister supported him, unlike his father.

"Let's go in now!" Azula yelled as she dragged Zuko towards the palace. Although Azula was only four, she still had a firm grip against her brother and was easily able to drag him around to wherever she wanted.

Eventually, the pair of siblings found themselves in the painting room where all of the portraits were painted. It wasn't used that much, so it gave them the perfect place to run around to their hearts content.

"Zuzu, teach me how to do the punch thingy!" Azula exclaimed.

"Okay, Az," Zuko replied as he stood in front of his sister. "All you have to do is breathe in the air around you and punch it forward. That should make fire."

Listening to her brothers instructions, Azula did just that as she tried to mimic his movements from earlier, only she didn't quite get the same results. Instead of a blast of fire, she only got a blast of smoke which was all she had been getting since she tried firebending.

"It didn't work," Azula pouted.

"I'm sure you'll get it eventually, Az. I only just did it a few months ago," Zuko reasoned.

"But I want to do it now," Azula complained. "I want to shoot fire like you and daddy so I can be like you."

"I'm sure you'll get there eventually, Az," Zuko promised.

"It's not fair. I just want to –" Azula started before she suddenly halted her sentence and jerked upward.

"What is it?" Zuko asked.

"I just want –" Azula tried saying before she jerked upwards again.

"Are you alright, Az?" Zuko questioned nervously.

"No, I'm –" Azula began before she once again jerked upwards. Only this time, she let out a powerful sneeze as she did so.

Zuko stared at his sister in awe after she sneezed, since that was no ordinary sneeze. Because what came out of her nose along with that sneeze was _fire_ , which was unlike anything that Zuko had seen before.

"Azula, you just sneezed firebending!" Zuko exclaimed.

"Was I not supposed to?" Azula asked fearfully.

"Well, no, but it was still amazing!" Zuko cheered.

"Uh-oh," Azula stated.

"What?" Zuko queried.

"I also did that," Azula replied as she pointed forward, her brother following her hand and his eyes widening as he saw one of the nearby curtains on fire.

"Father's not going to like that," Zuko muttered.

Speaking of the devil, they were suddenly joined by Ozai as he came storming into the room with Ursa hot on his heels. His gaze initially landed on his two children before noticing the curtain that had been caught on fire.

"Where have you two been? Your mother and I have been looking all over for you! And what is the meaning of this, Prince Zuko?" Ozai demanded as he gestured to the curtain that was on fire.

"It wasn't me, father!" Zuko defended himself.

"Oh, right. I'm sure that the curtain just magically caught on fire while you two were in the room," Ozai commented sarcastically.

"It wasn't Zuzu, daddy. It was me," Azula butted in, instantly grabbing her father's attention.

"What did you just say?" Ozai asked.

"I did it, not Zuzu," Azula repeated.

Ozai turned to his son, "Zuko, is this true?"

Zuko nodded, "It is! She started jerking upwards before she sneezed and did that with it!"

"My daughter, do you know what this means?" Ozai questioned as he knelt down to Azula's level.

"That I'm in trouble?" Azula wondered.

"Of course not. You are by no means in trouble. You are someone with a gift. You are a firebender, my dear," Ozai proclaimed.

Azula grinned, "Really? I am?"

"Yes, you are. I am so proud of you, Azula," Ozai praised her and Zuko couldn't help but notice how his father spoke with pride in his voice that he never used on him.

"How can this be at such a young age?" Ursa inquired, since Zuko hadn't shown these abilities at Azula's age.

"Because Azula is the firebender we've been waiting for, my dear. I knew she had that spark in her eyes from the moment she was born, unlike Zuko who had no spark whatsoever. Under my teachings, I will make sure that she is the greatest firebender there ever was," Ozai answered.

"So I can be like you and Zuzu?" Azula cheered.

Ozai chuckled, "So you can be like _me_. If I have anything to do with it, you will be nothing like your brother. Come with me now, I must teach you some breathing techniques."

Glancing back at her brother as Ozai lead her out the room, Azula couldn't help but notice the sad look on his face. Azula didn't understand what he had to be sad about, since this was great for them. Now that they were both firebenders, they could practice together for as long as they want. But the best feeling of all was seeing that look of pride on her fathers face, since it was something that she had never seen before. Azula didn't know how she'd do it, but she'd do whatever it took to make sure that her father kept that look on his face.

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 **So, there's the first one up and I hoped you guys liked it. In my own personal headcannon, I'd like to think that things between Azula and Zuko weren't always as tense as the way we saw them which is a common trend in my writing. I'll have the next one done in a few hours so stay tuned for that.**


	2. Motherhood

**As promised, here is my day two submission for Azula Week 2018. This one obviously takes place a few decades after the war and features a pairing that I've only come across once before, Azula/Kei Lo. In case you forgot, Kei Lo was Mai's boyfriend in the Smoke and Shadow trilogy, but they broke up by the end of it.**

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 **Motherhood.**

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In the hallways of the Royal Fire Academy for Boys, Azula sat outside the headmasters office as she waited to be called inside. The Crown Princess had received word that her eldest son, Ryu had gotten in trouble at his school which resulted in her being called down to deal with the aftermath of it. Thanks to the incompetence of the staff around here, Azula had no idea what it was her son had done that was as bad as it was. If she was being completely honest, Azula highly doubted that it would be anything serious since Ryu never got in trouble before.

"I am ready for you now, Princess Azula," the headmaster said as he poked his head out of his office.

Ready to get this done and over with, Azula headed inside the room to find out exactly what was going on. The first thing she noticed was Ryu sitting on one of the chairs with a blank expression on his face. She then noticed the fact that his clothes were battered and somewhat burned before she groaned as she realised that he must've got in some fight, which still didn't make any sense to her.

"What is the meaning of this?" Azula asked, glancing between her son and the headmaster.

"Your son got into a fight with another student earlier today. They were hurling all sorts of abuse and shots at one another by the time a teach intervened and split it up. Ryu is lucky that he got away with what he did, since the other young man received a black eye and a broken arm," the headmaster explained.

Azula looked at her son, who still remained expressionless in his seat, "Ryu, is this true?"

"Yes, mother," Ryu replied.

"Why? Never once have you used unnecessary violence against another person," Azula questioned.

"It was necessary because he was being a jerk," Ryu stated.

"That's still no reason to give him a black eye and a broke arm," Azula scolded him.

"I would've given him more if I had the time," Ryu said.

"Nevertheless, he has to be punished for his actions. Based on what I've heard, he was the one who instigated the fight. He is now suspended from school for the rest of the week, effective immediately," the headmaster proclaimed.

"What?" Azula exclaimed as she stood up from her seat. "That's totally barbaric. You know just as well as I do, headmaster that Ryu is a good boy. He has never once stepped out of line and does not deserve this punishment."

"Under any other circumstances, he wouldn't but given the circumstances of the fight, I have no choice but to deliver serious consequences," the headmaster stated.

Azula scoffed, "If it's effective immediately then I guess we'll be on our way. We will be getting to the bottom of this when we get home, young man."

"Yes, mother," Ryu muttered as his mother lead him out the room.

~*•°•*~

Not too long after that, Azula and Ryu arrived at their house located near the Royal Palace that they shared with Azula's husband, Kei Lo and their twin daughters, Zina and Zira. Neither of them had been too picky about where they would live so when Zuko offered them a house near the Royal Palace, Azula was more than willing to accept his offer. Things between the siblings had been better than ever in recent years, and Azula was even Zuko's most trusted advisor.

However, things between the siblings hadn't always been that great after being estranged for several years following the Kemurikage incident. After getting abandoned by her followers, Azula had spent years doing some soul-searching before she finally cleared her mind of the demons that had always plagued her. While venturing through the Earth Kingdom, Azula came across Kei Lo and the two found themselves attached to each other as they faced difficult situations. Finally, Azula returned to the capital city when Zuko's leadership was once again under threat. Much to everyone's surprise, Azula had been the one to stop the coup and save Zuko's life, restoring her place in the Fire Nation as the Crown Princess.

Now, Azula could finally live the family life that she'd always wanted with her three children who were the light in her days and a husband who she loved more than anything. But, given their current situation Azula wasn't exactly pleased with Ryu since he had gotten himself in serious trouble. It was also somewhat surprising to Azula, since Ryu was always her most well-behaved child. It had always been the twins that caused Azula the most trouble.

"Go straight to your room, young man and change out of those clothes," Azula ordered as she lead Ryu into their house.

Her son didn't even reply to her as he stomped up the stairs. Azula's mother intuition was definitely telling her that there was something more going on with her son that she'd find out when she asked him what he was doing getting into a fight at school.

"Azula?" her husband called out as he entered the hallway. "I thought I heard you come in. Where'd you run off to in such a hurry?"

Azula sighed, "Ryu got into a fight at school so I had to come see the headmaster who has now given him a suspension for the rest of the week starting now."

"Ryu, getting into a fight?" Kei Lo repeated in shock.

"I'm just as surprised as you are. But, I'm going to find out what provoked him to do such a thing since you know just as well as I do that Ryu doesn't use violence of any form unless he has to," Azula said.

Kei Lo nodded, "Alright. I'll bring the girls back from school while you deal with him. Love you."

"Love you too," Azula replied as her husband gave her a kiss on the cheek before heading out the door.

Sighing, Azula headed up the stairs and entered her son's room, knowing that if she knocked he'd most likely just leave her standing there. She saw Ryu sitting on his bed with a fresh pair of clothes as he looked out the window, although he seemed to be in deep thought about something.

"Thinking about what you've done?" Azula asked as she shut the door, alerting him of her presence.

"Yes, I have. And if I could do things differently, I'd hit him harder and leave more of a burn behind," Ryu seethed.

"Ryu, what's gotten into you? You've never been one to act out like this. You've always been the easy part of my days. Is this your rebellious stage kicking in?" Azula wondered.

"No. I knew what I was doing when I attacked him," Ryu replied.

"Then why did you do it?" Azula asked.

"He was saying bad stuff about you," Ryu murmured.

Azula's eyes widened. Dread instantly filled her as she started worrying what could've been said to set Ryu off the edge. Admittedly, her children knew nothing about her tenuous past and Azula was hopping that was something that she'd never have to share with them.

"What sort of stuff?" Azula inquired.

"That you were a psychotic bitch and tried to kill Uncle Zuko and Grandpa Iroh," Ryu answered.

That was when Azula's worst fears became a reality. Even though Azula did fear that her children would one day find out about what she had done, Azula was hoping that they would never have to find out from mindless gossip. In hindsight, Azula shouldn't have been surprised since there were still people in the Fire Nation who doubted where her allegiance truly stood, even decades later.

Ryu turned to face his mother when he noticed her silence, "You didn't really do that, didn't you, Mom?"

Azula sighed, "You stay here. I'll have a chat with you and the girls when they get home."

Without even giving her son a chance to reply, Azula walked out of his room before letting out a deep sigh. It looked like that whether she liked it or not, Azula would have to tell her children about the part of her that she never wanted them to know.

~*•°•*~

An hour passed before Kei Lo returned with their twin daughters. By that point, Azula and Ryu were silently waiting in the living room for the rest of their family to return. On one side, Ryu was wondering what his mother could possibly have to reveal to them while Azula was preparing herself to tell the secrets she had kept hidden for so long. Part of her feared that by telling her children about her past, that it would make them fear her which was something Azula never wanted. She refused to have a relationship with her children like she had with her mother. Not if she could help it.

"What's this about?" Kei Lo asked as Azula pulled him away to the corner, leaving the three kids to themselves.

"Daddy said you got in trouble," Zina teased.

Ryu glared at her, "So?"

"Mr. Goody Two-Shoes isn't so good after all," Zira taunted.

"Shut it, you two," Ryu snapped, not in the mood to deal with his sister's teasing.

Moments later, Azula and Kei Lo returned to the living room before taking a seat with their children. Ryu couldn't help but noticed how nervous his mother seemed while his father gave her a look of support.

"What's wrong, momma?" Zira asked, noticing the look on their mothers face.

Azula sighed, knowing that it was now or never, "Kids, there's something that I have to tell you."

"We're here," Zina stated, urging her mother to continue.

Brushing any thoughts of hesitation aside, Azula cut right to the chase. Not wanting to leave anything to mystery, Azula told them everything, from her mother's disappearance to everything that she did during and after the war until now. The whole time, her children watched with earnest looks on their faces, their eyes widening with each story that their mother told. Finally, when Azula finished speaking she let out a small sigh as she waited for their reaction.

"So, it's true then?" Ryu spoke first.

Azula nodded, "Regretfully so. Yes, I did try to kill Uncle Zuko and Grandpa Iroh. But I was a different person then. There was no way that I would do that now."

"I know you said you and Uncle Zuko never really got along when you were our age, but I really didn't think it was like that," Ryu admitted.

"And I thought you were annoying," Zina whispered to Zira who sighed.

"Is there anything else you would like to say to your mother?" Kei Lo asked.

Zira stood forward and hugged Azula, "I'm so sorry that you had to go through that, mommy. That must've been so hard."

"I can't imagine having a crazy mother, but I'm glad I don't have one," Zina said, causing Azula to chuckle.

As the twins hugged their mother, Azula couldn't help but notice how silent Ryu was being. It was then that Azula realised that she had probably just destroyed whatever perception he had of her, which made this situation even worse. Ryu had always looked up to her, but after what she had just told him, she feared that he wouldn't want to look up to her anymore. Not that she wouldn't blame him.

"Ryu, what are you thinking?" Azula questioned.

Ryu sighed, "I'm glad I was able to help you, mom. That doesn't change the fact that you're my hero."

"You're my hero too, mommy," Zira added.

Zina smiled, "Same with me!"

"I love you little rascals," Azula said before she wrapped her arms around her three children. "Just remember that there isn't anything that I wouldn't do for _either_ of you. I love you all with everything in my heart."

"We love you too, mom," they chorused.

As Azula had her family in her arms, she couldn't help but think how lucky she had been to be blessed with a family like she now had. Without them, there was no telling what she'd be like since they were what got her through those difficult times. It was safe to say that there wasn't anything that Azula would trade being a mother for whatsoever, since her children were the light in her day.

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 **Aww, gotta love a sappy little ending. I don't know why I put Azula with Kei Lo in this piece but I just thought of him when I was thinking of who to have as Azula's husband. Anyways, I hope you guys liked that one and keep your eyes out for the next one :).**


	3. Summer

**Even though I should be writing my other fics, I wanted to get this out of the way before I get back onto them. This chapter quite clearly takes place in summer, hence the name but a few years after the war. Italics are thoughts/memories and I hope you guys enjoy it :).**

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 **Summer**

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Ember Island had always been like a second home to Azula. It was where some of her happiest memories took place, like when the seagulls would chase after Zuko and he'd be forced to seek refuge behind the bushes, only to be pooped on by the birds from above. Like any sister would, Azula laughed at those memories, since they truly were when she was in the prime of her innocence. Now, whatever innocence she had left had been snuffed out by the demands of the war that she had been forced to grow up with.

At the age of twenty-three, it was fair to say that Azula had had her fair share of experience throughout the world. But despite everything that she'd been through, the one place she would always find serenity in was Ember Island. You'd think that for Azula it would be the Royal Palace, but that technically was the place where everything had gone wrong for Azula so she preferred not to think about it.

In the years following the end of the war, a lot had changed for Azula. She was now no longer the deranged, unstable girl that she had been at that point in time. It had taken her a lot of time to fully recovery from everything that she had been through, but she had successfully managed to put it all behind her. Now, Azula spent most of her time at Ember Island in her own personal beach house. The beach house itself was fairly isolated from the rest of the island, which is exactly what Azula preferred since she would rather not have anyone recognise her in the public eye.

For the most part, Azula spent her days wandering around the beach and collecting keepsakes as well as exploring the uninhabited parts of the island. It gave her a sense of simplicity, which was something that Azula never had but had always longed for. Although her life would never be 'simple' Azula could at least enjoy the simplicities of life.

One thing that Azula always loved about Ember Island was how beautiful it was in the summer. Not only because the view became even more breathtaking than it already was, it helped remind her of those family memories that had been supressed for so long. Her family had only ever visited Ember Island during the summer, so she always longed for those memories that seemed so long ago, which they practically were.

As Azula wandered across the beach on the soft sand while the waves crashed against her, every memory that she ever had from this island replayed itself in her mind. Admittedly, Azula tried not to think about her family since it brought up memories that she'd much rather not remember. But these were memories that she couldn't escape and would never forget since they were the very few pleasant memories that she had. One in particular crossed her mind and Azula couldn't help but smile in recollection.

" _Come on Zuzu, don't be boring," Azula whispered to her brother as they trailed behind their parents. The family was currently on vacation at Ember Island and while her parents had insisted on examining the island's culture, Azula had another idea that she was trying to get Zuko in on._

" _No, Zula. We'll get in trouble if we leave mother and father," Zuko said._

 _Azula scoffed, "They won't know we're gone. They'll be too busy looking at the boring stuff. Now, don't be lame."_

" _No, Zula," Zuko repeated._

" _Ugh, you used to be so much fun. Now you're just boring," Azula muttered, knowing that it would rile Zuko up._

" _I'm not boring!" Zuko exclaimed._

" _Then don't be boring and come with me," Azula said._

 _Zuko groaned, "I'm blaming you if we get in trouble."_

" _Yay! Now, let's go before they notice," Azula cheered as she grabbed her brothers hand and dragged him away._

 _Eventually, the pair of siblings reached the island's pier where the fishermen tried to catch their food. Azula and Zuko carefully treaded underneath the dock where the fishermen were currently sitting above them, with their fishing rods outstretched in the sea._

" _What are we gonna do?" Zuko asked._

" _When they bring the fish up, we light their rod on fire so that it breaks and they lose their fish," Azula replied._

" _But that's mean," Zuko pointed out._

 _Azula grinned, "Exactly!"_

 _Since Azula had already dragged him out to where they were now, Zuko figured that he might as well take part in her so-called fun that he might not necessarily agree with. One thing that Zuko had noticed was how Azula's idea's of fun always came at the expense of someone else, usually him. But for once, Zuko was glad not to be at the receiving end of his sister's fun and games._

 _When the fishermen caught their fish and began reeling it up, Azula and Zuko shot small blasts of fire at their rods, causing the fish to drop into the water. As soon as the fishermen noticed their fish were gone, they would let out a frustrated groan before repeating the process, much to Azula and Zuko's amusement._

 _Every time the pair of siblings messed with the fishermen above them, Azula and Zuko tried their best to stifle back their laughs so that they wouldn't give away their position. The last thing they wanted was to get in trouble with the fishermen, although they could always use their status in the Royal Family to get away with it. Finally, the fishermen had enough of whatever was happening as they let out a frustrated cry._

" _What in the name of Agni is going on down there?" one of them asked._

" _I dunno, but we better check it out," another voice replied._

" _Now, we leave," Azula whispered to Zuko._

 _Quickly but quietly, the two siblings ran away from below the docks, laughing as they witnessed the fishermen's frustration at their actions. Maybe next time they would try pranking them harder, just to mess with them…_

Looking back at that memory, Azula smiled and she couldn't help but wonder what had ever happened to those fishermen who she and Zuko had taken so much joy in messing with. Nevertheless, she continued her walk across the beach, relishing in the feeling that the sun gave her as it burned down on her skin. As a firebender, Azula relished in the hot summers unlike most people would. That was something she figured that would never change.

Out of the corner of her eyes, Azula spotted a figure that was trailing behind her. Carefully, Azula turned around to face whoever it was. Not only was she being cautious for her own self-preservation, but because she hardly ever saw anybody else down at this end of the island. As they got closer, Azula made out the figure of a man before her eyes landed on their buff muscles that adorned their body. Although she was sure she had never seen him before in her life, there was that nagging thought in Azula's mind that was telling her that she knew this guy from somewhere.

"Hey," the guy greeted her.

"Hello," Azula replied.

"I've never seen you around here before," the guy stated.

"Funny, I could say the same thing about you," Azula rebuffed.

The guy chuckled, "I guess you could. You live in that beach house up in the mountains, don't you?"

"What makes you say that?" Azula questioned, not wanting to give anything away to this guy she just met.

"I've seen it a couple of times before and I've almost dared to go up there myself. Plus, I've seen you wondering around nearby before," the guy answered.

"Oh, so you're a stalker?" Azula asked.

"No, I'm not a stalker. I just pride myself in knowing everybody on this island, and you're someone I don't know," the guy explained.

"So, what's your name then?" Azula inquired.

"My name is Chan," the guy replied.

Azula's eyes widened as she recognised the name, remembering him as the boy she had tried (and failed) flirting with all those years ago. Despite how their encounter had ended with her trashing his house, he had still been her first kiss which was something you never quite forget. No wonder she felt like she knew him from somewhere.

"Are you gonna tell me your name or…" the guy trailed off.

"My name is not important," Azula stated.

"Ah, I like a girl with mystery. Would you like some company on your walk?" Chan offered.

Examining him as she contemplated her actions, Azula couldn't help but notice how he didn't scream arrogance like he did the first time they met. Since the sun was almost beginning to set anyways, Azula figured that she might as well take up his offer.

"Yes, some company would be nice," Azula replied.

"Cool," Chan nodded as he joined Azula's side.

While Azula wasn't sure how long this little moment of theirs would last, she would make the most of what little time they might have together. Maybe a summer romance would do her some good…

* * *

 **I'm not exactly happy with how that turned out but eh, I tried. If I didn't make it any obvious, Chan was the guy from the Beach who Azula kissed and also gave me the picture to use for this story, lol. Stay tuned for the next part.**


	4. Azula as the Avatar AU

**This was actually the easiest one-shot to write, since I knew what direction I wanted it to go in so I hope you guys enjoy it as much as I enjoyed writing it. It's worth mentioning that none of the other major characters apart from Iroh make an appearance in this chapter.**

* * *

 **Azula as the Avatar AU**

* * *

For years, the Fire Nation had searched the world for the Avatar, determined to use its power to their advantage to help them end the war in their favour. After killing all of the airbenders a century ago with Sozin's Comet, the new Avatar had been born into the Water Tribe. Once Prince Azulon was declared Fire Lord, he ordered all waterbenders around the world to be captured in the hopes of finding the Avatar amongst them. When he did, the Avatar refused to turn their back on the world and was subsequently killed, meaning that the Avatar was once again reborn into the Earth Kingdom.

Their next search for the Avatar didn't take too long, and once the earthbender avatar was of age, the Fire Nation once again tried to swing him in their favour. Unfortunately for them, the earthbender Avatar wanted nothing to do with the Fire Nation. Much to their chagrin, they even started a rebellion that almost brought an end to the war, only for the Avatar to die in the heat of the battle.

Since the Avatar was now going to be born into the Fire Nation, they had more faith that they would eventually be able to track them down and use them to their advantage. However, there would prove to be no need for any extravagant search as the Avatar was quite literally under their noses, in the form of Fire Lord Ozai's prodigious daughter, Princess Azula.

Because the young princess had been born on the same day the previous Avatar died, it had always been in the back of everyone's mind that she would be the key to victory that the Fire Nation had been searching for. To nobody's surprise, Princess Azula had mastered firebending by the time she was twelve-years-old, making her one of the youngest firebending masters in recent years which only added to more speculation that she was the true Avatar.

Speculation would soon end when on one day, instead of using firebending, Princess Azula used airbending. Since airbending would have been the next element in line for the Fire Nation Avatar to learn and there was no other logical explanation possible, Princess Azula had been confirmed as the worlds next Avatar.

From the moment her identity was revealed to her, Azula was trained even more to be the Avatar everyone always thought she would be. However, the Fire Nation princess just didn't have the same drive that she used to. For the longest time, Azula wasn't sure what it was that kept her mind on edge, since she had always been determined to win the war for the Fire Nation. Only now that drive had slowly diminished with each day that passed.

Being the Avatar was never something that Azula had longed for. She felt like it was unfair, and that her destiny had already been written for her instead of her discovering it herself. It also made Azula more conflicted than she ever thought she could be, since Azula knew she was supposed to save the world from her own nation, but her own nation wanted her to destroy the same world that she was supposed to protect.

On one night in particular, Azula sat at the pond that her brother frequently visited in the garden. Zuzu only seemed to go there when he had something to think about, and Azula certainly had a lot to think about so she figured that she might as well try it out for herself. While Zuko had always visited the pond with their mother, that was never something that Azula took part in. Only now that her mother had disappeared Azula somewhat wished that she had taken part in those moments as well.

"Is something on your mind, my niece?" a voice from behind her asked.

Turning around, Azula saw her Uncle Iroh standing there. The man had always had a way with words, so Azula hoped that maybe he'd be able to help her with this tug of war that she found herself having.

"Actually, there is," Azula replied.

"Feel free to discuss it with me if you wish," Iroh said as he took a seat next to his niece.

Azula sighed, "This whole Avatar thing is really confusing. I know that the Fire Nation expects me to win the war for them, but the world also expects me to save them. Plus, being the Avatar kind of means that I need to save the world, regardless of what father wants."

"But what is it that you want?" Iroh questioned.

"I just want things to be normal for me, like the way they used to be. But I know that things will probably never ben normal again. But, I also want to do what's right. Not what's right for me or anyone else, but what I think is right," Azula answered.

"And what do you think is right?" Iroh inquired.

"That's where it gets difficult. I'm not exactly sure what's right. As the Avatar, I know I'm supposed to save the world. But then as the Crown Princess, I'm supposed to win the war for the Fire Nation," Azula replied.

"I can see where you are conflicted, my niece. You have been placed with a burden that no child should have to experience. While I cannot tell you what you should do, I can only tell you that sometimes in life, the lines between right and wrong become so blurred that we cannot se through them properly. But what is right for you might not be right for everyone else. Just do what you want to do, regardless of what somebody else wants you to do," Iroh advised her.

Azula nodded as she stood to her feet, "Thank you, Uncle. Your advise was actually useful. Now I know why Zuzu always goes to you."

Iroh laughed, "Your thanks is not needed, my niece. I am happy to help you in any way that I can."

Giving her Uncle one last look, Azula headed away from the palace gardens and inside the palace walls, knowing that she'd need some time to weigh up her options before she decided what it was that she wanted to do. While Azula wasn't entirely sure what she was going to do at this very moment in time, the young princess knew that she'd have some thinking to do.

* * *

 **Not really that much of an eventful chapter, but I couldn't really think of a way to write it with action and I'm happy with how it turned out in the end. Stay tuned for the next part, which I'll try to have on as soon as I can.**


	5. Fire and Water

**Five days down, two more to go. Man, the week flies by face when you're writing for one of the greatest characters in Avatar. In all honesty, I wasn't exactly sure what route to take with this one-shot, but since I'd already done two romance pieces before I decided to do something different. This one originally takes place after Ozai becomes Fire Lord.**

* * *

 **Fire and Water**

* * *

As Fire Lord Ozai's daughter, Azula was expected to do whatever her father wanted her to do, whether she wanted to or not. So, when Ozai ordered his daughter to infiltrate the South Pole before bringing them to their knees, Azula was left with very little room to argue. Although she refused to set foot in that frozen wasteland with a bunch of snow savages, it was what her father wanted so Azula had no choice but to do it.

"Remember, Azula. Your job is to immigrate yourself into their pathetic society before destroying them once and for all," Ozai reminded his daughter as he prepared to send her off for this mission.

"Yes, father. I will see to it that my mission is successfully achieved," Azula said.

Ozai smiled, "Good. I have full faith that you will complete your mission exactly as I told you to. I will try to maintain contact with you without appearing suspicious, but do not expect to hear from me that often."

Azula nodded, "Do not feel the need to go out of your way for me if it is unnecessary. Only contact me if it is of vital importance."

"I have taught you well, Azula," Ozai praised her. "Just remember where you came from and how you were raised. Do not allow them to corrupt you to their needs."

"That will never happen, father," Azula promised.

"Good. Well, I must send you off now. Remember to hold onto what I taught you, Azula. It could save your life out there," Ozai stated.

"Goodbye, father," Azula farewelled him.

"Goodbye, my daughter. I will see you when the time is right," Ozai said.

With that, Azula boarded the ship that would take her to the Southern Water Tribe. If she was being completely honest, Azula had her fair share of apprehensions about this mission her father had set for her. While infiltrating herself into the South Pole was easier said than done, Azula knew that she would have to do whatever it took to adhere to her fathers wishes. He had taken the time to make the appropriate precautions for her safety, now she had to take the time to complete this mission for him.

~*•°•*~

In the years that followed, Azula found herself accustomed to life down in the South Pole. At first, she hated every moment of it since it was unlike anything that she had experienced growing up. But slowly, Azula found herself fully immigrated into their society. While she would never get used to some things, for the most part Azula had Azula had grown used to life at the South Pole, although she would never forget her true home in the Fire Nation.

So far, Azula's plan to cripple the Fire Nation had been a complete success. When she arrived, they were already still in distress after losing the wife of their chief some time ago. Using that to her advantage, Azula was able to get inside their heads without them even noticing. A few years ago, the men of the tribe had gone to fight in the war after Azula had done some slight persuasion that it was what they needed to do for their tribe, which ultimately rendered them completely helpless against any attackers.

What surprised Azula the most was how much they had welcomed her into their tribe. As planned, Azula had been discovered 'washed up' on a nearby bank. Surprisingly, they hardly questioned her obvious Fire Nation characteristics, such as her ember eyes and her firebending. However, Azula's story was that she had been left to die by her Fire Nation parents and was able to tug on their heart strings with her 'tragic' backstory.

As if things couldn't get anymore surprising for Azula, the Fire Nation princess found that she actually liked being in the tribes company. They certainly treated her differently than how she was treated in the Fire Nation, since they treated her with the respect and kindness that she never thought she would receive. Throughout the years, Azula had bonded herself with their chief's children, who were the only villagers that were remotely close to her age. Everyone else was either ancient in age or could barely stand up on their own.

Due to her connections with them, Azula had found out more than she ever thought she would about their society. Most notably, the chief's daughter, Katara, was actually the last waterbender in the Southern tribe after her mother had sacrificed herself to save her. When the time was right, Azula planned on exposing the girl to the appropriate authorities to make her mission even more of a success. If Ozai could see her now, Azula knew that her father would be proud of her.

One day in particular, Katara's brother, Sokka, was being irritating about their lack of fish supply since it was their main sources of food. Despite being siblings, Katara and Sokka couldn't have been more different in her eyes. Katara was the more calm and nurturing sibling while Sokka was always abrasive and sceptic. In fact, he had been the most wary about her after her unexpected arrival all those years ago. They almost reminded Azula of her and Zuko before their relationship changed.

"Come on, Katara. Just come with me," Sokka pleaded as he prepared his boat.

"Why do you even want me to come?" Katara asked.

"Trust me, I'd much rather go out there on my own. But you know Gran-Gran will get mad at me if I do. So, just do us both a favour and come with me," Sokka said.

Katara sighed, "Ugh, fine. I'll go."

"Yes!" Sokka cheered triumphantly before turning to Azula. "Wanna come as well, Kaida?"

Even though Azula highly doubted that the Southern Water Tribe knew anything about the Fire Nation Royal Family, it was still safer for Azula to be amongst them with a different name; hence them calling her Kaida instead of her far more superior name.

"I could certainly use some entertainment right about now so sure, I'll go," Azula conceded.

Together, the three teenagers headed off on their fishing expedition. Any other trip they took usually ended up as uneventful as the last, but little did they know just how much this trip would change their lives.

* * *

 **I actually had a lot of fun writing that piece, and it might actually be somet** **hing that I could possibly expand on into a larger story in the future if I ever get around to it.**


	6. Family

**One thing I love writing for Azula is sweet little family moments, since she didn't get nearly enough of those like she deserved. This piece takes place sometime after Smoke and Shadow with an obviously reformed Azula.**

* * *

 **Family**

* * *

It had been a few months since Princess Azula returned to the Fire Nation Royal Palace. After realising her mistakes, she had sworn her allegiance to her brother before helping him take down the New Ozai Society from within. Now, everyone knew that Azula was loyal to her brother and only him, even if they struggled to believe it.

Part of being back in the Fire Nation meant getting to know the new family Azula had found herself in. That included her newly discovered half-sister, Kiyi and her stepfather, Noren. Despite an initially rocky start, Azula had managed to form a bond with her stepfather and now saw him as the father she never had in Ozai. As for Kiyi, it had been a lot easier for Azula to bond with the younger girl, since Kiyi was obviously fascinated by the new sister she had.

For the most part, Azula got along with Kiyi. Except for those times when her younger sister would prove to be an annoying Royal Pain in the butt. Having dealt with Kyi for as long as she had so far, Azula was glad that she had never been as irritating as the younger girl. Despite their obvious differences, Azula still loved her half-sister, no matter how annoying she could be like she was right now.

"Come on, Azzie. Play with me!" Kiyi pleaded.

"How many times do I have to say _no_ , Kiyi?" Azula asked.

Kiyi shrugged, "I don't know. Just play with me and I'll stop asking."

"Why don't you ask Fire Lord Zuzu instead? I'm sure he'd have so much fun with you," Azula suggested.

Kyi giggled, "Zuzu's busy. So he said to ask you instead!"

Azula groaned as she muttered, "Curse Zuzu for leaving me with this child."

"What?" Kiyi queried.

"Nothing," Azula quickly replied. "Why don't you ask mom and dad instead?"

"They're busy as well," Kiyi drawled. "Why is everyone busy?"

"I could ask that question myself," Azula murmured.

"Now, lets play Azzie!" Kiyi exclaimed.

"Ugh, fine! But you better leave me alone after this," Azula conceded.

"Yay!" Kiyi cheered as she dragged Azula away.

~*•°•*~

Much to Azula's displeasure, Kiyi's game consisted of them dressing up and having a tea party with Kiyi's two dolls, appropriately named Azula and Kiyi. Soon after Azula had returned, Kiyi demanded that Ursa made her another doll so that 'Kiyi' could have a big sister just like she did. So, now that Kiyi had her two dolls they were always with her when she played, just like they were now.

"Azula, could you please pour some tea for Kiyi?" Kiyi asked in a nauseatingly posh voice, referring to her doll.

"I wouldn't mind at all, dear Kiyi," Azula replied in the same nauseatingly posh voice. Since they were having a tea party, Kiyi had demanded that they 'act the part' which meant talking like idiots.

"Azula, you're holding the tea wrong!" Kiyi exclaimed as she demonstrate the correct way. "You're suppose to hold it like this, with your pinkie pointing out!"

"My apologies, Miss Kiyi," Azula spoke through gritted teeth.

Suddenly, Azula heard what sounded like the door opening and she hoped more than anything that it was just the wind, since she refused to have anyone see her like this. Not if she could do anything about it.

"Yay! You're here!" Kiyi cheered.

Cursing to herself, Azula turned her head and she groaned when she saw _Zuko_ of all people standing there. When his eyes landed on her, Azula could see the smirk forming on her older brothers face and she so badly wanted to wipe it off him before she reminded herself that Kiyi was right beside them.

"How nice of you to join us, Zuzu," Azula greeted her brother.

"I wouldn't miss this for the world, Miss Kiyi. Though, I must admit that I'm surprised to see you here, Lady Azula," Zuko returned the greeting, smirking at his younger sister.

"I'm only here out of _your_ suggestion, Lord Zuzu," Azula said.

Kiyi giggled, "You guys are funny. I knew this would be a good idea!"

"Lord Zuzu, would you be a dear and poor the tea for our guests?" Azula asked with a sickeningly sweet smile on her face.

"You seem to have everything under control, Lady Azula," Zuko replied.

"I've been serving tea _all day_. Be a gentlemen and take over for me," Azula said.

"I've been in meetings _all day_. Be a gentlewoman and continue your duties," Zuko argued.

"Oh, so just because I'm a woman I'm supposed to pour the tea? Zuzu, you're setting a _horrible_ example for Kiyi. Wait until mother hears about this," Azula smirked.

"Fine," Zuko snapped as he took the jug of tea from his sisters arms, suddenly regretting telling Kiyi to invite her to the tea party.

"Oh, when you're done with that could you also finish setting up the table and set up the board game as well?" Azula asked.

"What?" Zuko exclaimed, almost dropping the tea holder.

"Like I said, I've been doing this _all day_ ," Azula drawled.

"And I've been in meetings _all day_ ," Zuko pointed out.

"Don't fight in front our guests," Kiyi hissed.

"Yes, Zuzu. You're being a terrible role model not only to Kiyi, but to our guests as well. Clearly you weren't raised right," Azula quipped.

Zuko growled, "If you insist, Lady Azula."

"Indeed I do," Azula smirked.

"You guys are so much fun," Kiyi said, giggling to herself as she watched her older siblings interact with one another.

"But _I'm_ more fun, right Kiyi?" Azula clarified.

"Kiyi, remember who plays with you whenever you want. You never have to convince me to play with you," Zuko argued.

It seemed as though all Azula and Zuko could do to pass the time in that moment was to argue with one another, whether it be about who to do what or who was more fun for their younger sister. Either way, this was shaping up to be a fun afternoon.

~*•°•*~

The afternoon soon passed, with Azula and Zuko managing to act civil with one another for Kiyi's sake. However, when it came to their board game that seemed to be the finals straw for the siblings involvement and it soon turned into an all-out brawl, which resulted in them passing out on Kiyi's bed from hurling insults at one another. That was when Ursa and Noren chose that moment to enter the room, shocked at the mess that they saw in their daughters room.

"Kiyi, what happened?" Noren asked.

"Azzie and Zuzu," Kiyi replied, pointing to her two siblings as they slept together.

"Aw, I remember when they used to sleep like that when they were young," Ursa cooed.

"It was funny," Kiyi giggled as she retold the afternoon's events to her parents. "Azzie and Zuzu kept fighting about what to do and we played board games. But when Zuzu won and Azzie lost, Azzie got mad and lit the board game on fire."

"But did you have fun?" Noren questioned.

Kiyi nodded excitedly, "Yes, I did! Azzie and Zuzu are so much fun."

As if on cue, Azula and Zuko started to stir from their slumber. When Azula noticed her parents standing nearby, she instantly woke up before dusting herself clean so that she was presentable for them. Her actions seemed to wake Zuko up as well.

"Mother, father," Azula greeted them.

"What? Did I lose?" Zuko asked as he rubbed his eyes.

Azula rolled her eyes, "Yes, you did, Zuzu. I won victoriously."

"Well, it seems like the three of you had a fun afternoon together," Ursa observed.

"Yes, we did. Azzie and Zuzu wouldn't say it but I know they had fun too! We'll have to set another date together," Kiyi said eagerly.

Azula and Zuko's eyes widened as they glanced at each other, not like the thought of another tea party whatsoever. Clearly, they weren't meant to play together like normal siblings.

"How about we forget this ever happened?" Azula suggested.

"Sounds like a plan," Zuko muttered as he got himself onto his feet.

Following in her brothers footsteps, Azula quickly left her younger sisters room before heading as far away as she could from that place. Although she would never admit it, Azula had secretly enjoyed herself and was even looking forward to their next tea party if it meant humiliating Zuko once again.

* * *

 **I just love writing family moments for Azula like this, since we never got to see those in the show or the comments. This now takes its place as my favourite piece to write for this collection so far.**


	7. Keep Hope Alive

**We're down to the last chapter of the week, which is a shame since I enjoyed writing these random one-shots about our great Fire Lord Azula. This one is a bit AU, given the theme and since it takes place in a zombie apocalyptic world. Hope you guys enjoy it :).**

* * *

 **Keep Hope Alive**

* * *

This wasn't what they had asked. This isn't what they had expected their lives to turn into. Granted, who would ever expect that they'd be some of the last few survivors left in a world overtaken by flesh-eating zombies?

At the age of fourteen, Princess Azula was one of the last remaining people of the world who hadn't caught the zombie-curse that had unwittingly been brought into their world. It was kind of ironic how the whole thing started, since the world was at war with one another and now they were fighting together to put an end to things before they got worse. From fighting against her enemies to now working alongside them, Azula's world had certainly been turned upside down.

Azula could still remember the first time she ever came into contact with one of the diseased, since that moment would forever be a part of her nightmares. It was during one of her trips in the Earth Kingdom with Mai and Ty Lee where they came across a group of zombies. Thankfully, Azula had managed to get away unscathed but her friends had not been so lucky. After that, Azula was at a lost as she had no idea what to do without her friends. That was, until she crossed paths with the Avatar and his group, who reluctantly agreed to take her with them.

Now, the last few people that were left in the world resided in a safe zone which was designed to be protected against any zombie entry. Against Azula's thoughts, they were waiting until they had found a cure before they made any movement against the zombies. The former princess would much rather be out there defending their survival, but everyone was against making any unnecessary combat.

Currently, Azula was practicing her firebending away from everyone else. That was the last bit of normalcy that Azula had left with her, since everything now was anything but normal. After performing a swift kick and unleashing a powerful blast of fire Azula got into her finishing pose, signifying that her movements were done.

"You certainly haven't lost your touch," somebody commented from behind her.

Turning around, Azula saw Zuko standing there opposite to her. When Azula arrived at the resistance headquarters, she had been surprised to find Zuko and her uncle amongst some of the few civilians. Despite being sent to capture them, Azula wasn't in any position to do that for obvious reasons. Since they'd arrived, the two siblings had put the past behind them and made a promise to stick together, especially since they needed each other now more than ever.

"Hello, Zuzu," Azula greeted her brother. "What brings you out here?"

"Nobody had seen you for a while, so they sent me out to go look for you," Zuko replied.

Azula scoffed, "I doubt that they were worried about me. I'm sure that if they had it their way I would already be a flesh-eating zombie."

"Yeah, I don't really know how to respond to that," Zuko admitted.

"That's because it's the truth," Azula stated, sighing as she took a seat on a nearby rock. "I'm okay, so you don't have to check up on me anymore."

"I know, but I still wanna talk," Zuko said as he took a seat next to his sister.

"About what?" Azula asked.

"Listen, I know that things have been difficult for us. We've had to unite with our enemies to even stand a chance against the outbreak. But it'll all be over eventually, we just have to stick together," Zuko said.

"Sticking together has gotten us nowhere so far. Sure, they're trying to make a cure but they don't even know how they're going to do that. For the most part, we're practically sitting turtle-ducks while we wait for whatever to come," Azula snapped.

"I understand, but we're not exactly in any position to launch any attack. There are more of them than there is of us," Zuko pointed out.

"At least by doing something we'd actually be making a difference. By waiting we're just allowing more of them to grow, which makes it even more difficult for us. I'm sick of waiting around for nothing," Azula ranted.

Zuko sighed, "So what are you gonna do, just leave and take on everything by yourself?"

"I wish I could," Azula muttered.

"Come on, Azula. Be reasonable. Sure, you're a powerful firebender and under any other circumstances I'd never bet against you. But in these circumstances, you wouldn't exactly stand a chance against an army of zombies," Zuko said.

Azula narrowed her eyes, "You dare doubt my abilities?"

Zuko held up his hands in defence, "I'm just saying. It's too risky for you to do anything like that, especially on your own."

"I'd much rather be out there than stuck in here with a bunch of morons," Azula snapped.

"There's nothing I can do to change your mind about this, isn't there?" Zuko asked.

"Nope. I know what needs to be done and deep down, you know I'm right too, Zuzu," Azula said.

With nothing else to say, Azula got up onto her feet and headed back to their main base with plans of her own in motion. If everyone else was too stupid to admit what needed to be done, then Azula would just have to do it on her own whether anybody agreed with her or not.

~*•°•*~

After her talk with Zuko, Azula had never been more convinced that the right move to make was to leave the resistance and fight on her own. Azula had been waiting patiently for too long, and she wasn't going to sit back and let the world as she knew it be destroyed if there was something she could do to stop it.

Upon gathering enough supplies that she would need, Azula headed towards the main gate with the intention of leaving and never returning. However, when she reached the gate Azula groaned as she saw the Avatar and his friends there. They were about to make her leaving much more difficult than what it needed to be, but she was still going to leave and there was nothing they could do to change that.

"You're leaving," Katara observed as Azula walked towards them.

"Yes, I am," Azula replied.

"You're crazier than I thought," Sokka muttered.

Azula rolled her eyes, "Maybe I am crazy but going out there and doing something would be far more productive than just sitting here and being useless."

"We have a better chance at succeeding if we stick together, Azula. You can't go out there on your own," Aang argued.

"Don't try and stop me, Avatar. I'm going and there's nothing any of you can do about it," Azula said.

"In that case, good luck Zappy," Toph offered, not even bothering to convince Azula otherwise.

Azula nodded, "I won't be needing it but thank you."

Ready to leave everyone behind, Azula simply walked towards the gate that had stopped her from doing what she wanted until now. Without looking back, Azula walked through the gate and out into the open world. Although Azula knew that she would be facing a mountain of trouble, Azula was more determined than ever to put a stop to the zombie outbreak. If not for her, than for everyone that she had lost in these dark times.

* * *

 **And with that, Azula Week 2018 is officially over. Since actually enjoyed writing these pieces, I might come back to this story with other one-shots for Azula. So, if you guys have an requests on that feel free to leave them below.**


End file.
